By her own admission , Cynthia Nixon is a 100% New Yorker, yet remains deeply rooted in the heart of America. A mother, an actress, a feminist. An optimist.
All women have fought a battle at one time or another. What was yours?
I've fought a lot of big fights in my life, like running for governor of New York, but I feel like the biggest one is yet to come.
When do you feel you are showing strength?
Both of my parents had strong personalities and strong opinions. When I was young, I was always rewarded for agreeing with their opinions and wishes. I believe I reveal my strength today when I give myself permission to believe in my own opinions, express them, and fight for them.
Women are made of light and shadow in turn, echoing the moon that rules us. What is your part of light, what is your part of shadow?
My light comes from the joy and pleasure I get from my life and the people in it. The strong bonds of my personal relationships are what nourish and uplift me every day. My shadow side is my perfectionism and my anger, the two being intertwined. A therapist once told me I should write “anxious, not angry” on my palms so I can look at them in moments of crisis to realize that I seem most ferocious when I’m actually full of anxiety.
Express your most important conviction, the one that guides your steps in life.
My belief is that there can be, and is, enough for everyone. We are very far from that, and we are getting further away from it every day. What perverts us all is the ever-widening gap between those who have too little and those who have too much. It is obvious that those who do not have enough suffer the most, but it is important to understand that this distorts and disfigures those at the other end of the spectrum as well.
Mind upload. It marks the starting point for the story of our heroine ALYH, who uploads her mind into a universe in which she evolves and surpasses herself. What skills would you develop if this adventure were offered to you?
If I could augment myself, the superpower I would most desire is the ability to travel through time, to return not only to moments in my own past but also to those of my loved ones. I would like to see my children when they were younger, and spend time with my wife in moments before we met.
What if you had a magic wand? How would you redefine our future, yours? Would you use it?
If life gave me a magic wand, I would use it without question! Of course, I would make mistakes, but who wouldn't want to try? The thing I worry about most for myself, my children, and their children is how we will continue to survive on this planet if we don't do everything in our power to stop global warming? So many powerful individuals and industries are holding us captive, but with a magic wand, I would change just enough to begin the transition and show everyone that by switching to less destructive energy sources, we can not only save the planet and ourselves, but also provide jobs for millions of people.
Never give up on... What would you say to your best friend as a child?
I don't know if this is what you want to know, but my oldest friend (we were in kindergarten together!) and I realized that our mothers separately told us never to become financially dependent on a man. They made sure they never were and were able to provide for themselves. It's the same for my friend and me. You never know how a romantic relationship will turn out. And if you need to get out, you should be free to leave without having to worry about whether you'll have a roof over your head or food. The ability to maintain your independence is very important, especially for women.
The best:
My greatest accomplishment is being relatively sane. I've been acting since I was 12. That's enough to damage anyone. I grew up with an undiagnosed bipolar father, and his mood swings were terrifying. I'm not entirely sane, by any stretch of the imagination, but I think I'm a relatively balanced and loving person. And for that, I'm proud and grateful.
